Wrap up of Cleveland Browns last Mini Camp practice of 2014

Momentum is apparent as the team heads home for summer.

The offense on Thursday was clicking. It actually was finding its groove during this entire minicamp, an encouraging sign from some of the inconsistency during OTAs. We keep mentioning him, but write down Anthony Armstrong’s name. He could be a fantasy football sleeper this season.

The Browns are going to trust Tashaun Gipson with a bulk of responsibility in deep coverage. More than occasionally, the safety was lined up more like a centerfielder. His teammate Donte Whitner will play closer to the first down line, while Gipson will be the last line of defense. Gipson plucked five interceptions in 2013, but it seems his role has changed a tad based on minicamp.

It was smart of the Browns to rest some of their veterans during the mandatory minicamp. On Thursday, Giants star linebacker Jon Beason was carted off the field. We’ve seen the Falcons lose Sean Weatherspoon and the Cowboys lose Sean Lee. In the NFL, coaches always say one injury can’t destroy a team. Still, resting veterans like Karlos Dansby, Joe Thomas, Jordan Cameron and Miles Austin was the right thing to do. These guys know how to play football. Being precautionary in June can pay dividends come early January. Staying healthy is half the battle of making the playoffs.

Quarterback Connor Shaw is still a little raw, but you can clearly see improvement on his end. A mobile quarterback at South Carolina, Shaw has become more comfortable making quick throws while not scampering around. The one good thing going forward about his mobility: he would be an excellent practice simulator of quarterbacks like Jake Locker, E.J. Manual and even to a degree Cam Newton – all on the Browns’ 2014 schedule. Plus practice reps against the first-team Browns defense will continue to help Shaw.

We quizzed a bunch of different Browns’ players on who they think is the fastest player on the roster – that fun video will be coming soon. The answers varied between six different people, a fantastic problem to have. The most common names: Andrew Hawkins, Anthony Armstrong, Buster Skrine, Johnny Manziel and Josh Gordon.

A big chunk of players are headed out of town until training camp to clear their minds, spend time with family and train their bodies for the NFL grind. It felt like the last day of school here in Berea. Players were giving each other bro-hugs, and making plans to meet up during their vacation time. The vibes in the Browns’ facility are all positive. Winning football games is truly the expectation.